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View Aashish Agrawal’s graphic link
Not from IIT. Not from IIM. Not from ISB.

I often see this line written proudly in bios and Linkedin handles, as if not being from these institutes is a badge of honour.
As if mocking them somehow makes you superior.

Honestly, I don’t mind it.
But I’ve always wondered, why define yourself against something?

I’m from IIT Kharagpur and ISB Hyderabad.
Not because that defines me,
but because it shaped me.

It meant being surrounded by some of the brightest minds in the country.
It meant realising that intelligence has no single definition.

It meant being humbled every single day because there was always someone smarter, sharper, or more hardworking than you.

Being from IIT or ISB doesn’t make you better.
It makes you aware that the world is full of people who can teach you something.


View Yash Pratap’s graphic link

Yash Pratap • You

Web Dev, System Design, AI
(edited)
"Not from IIT/IIM" is rebellion against the scam of coaching industry. IIT IIM dream was sold as a way to escape all the problems in life by coaching industry. This scam is mostly done on upper caste Hindu's of semi urban or rural India because only their relatives lives in Urban India (50% of Urban India, top 10 cities is upper caste Hindu), you can see this in migration data. That's why you don't see OBC ST SC candidates in mainstream coaching industry and female teachers because scam is based on assumption high rank means lifetime intelligence and competence which is a lie, that's why IIT IIM are nowhere when it comes to international rankings because investment in higher research and education can create a culture which exposes the scam. The excessive migration was enabled by the freebie politics of Kejriwal later copied by all other political parties.

People who labelled themselves as "Not from IIT/IIM" are mostly men below 35.

Checkout the full information about Indian coaching industry here.

Part 1
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/yashp2411_coaching-activity-7379938200414384128-zp6u

Part 2
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/yashp2411_coaching-edtech-activity-7380253904447533056-26Wj
View Anirwan Sengupta, PMP®, FIE’s graphic link

Anirwan Sengupta, PMP®, FIE • 1st

Infrastructure Leader | Systems Thinker | Program & Contract Management (OPRC/PPP) | Building Institutions in Emerging Markets
Yash Pratap when I was in XII th way back in 1991, Coaching Industry for IITs was mostly limited to Correspondence based Agarwal Classes / Brilliant Tutorials. Later on, I think in mid nineties Kota Industry flourished. However, my realization about the greatness of IITs only happened when I saw Alumnus of IITs and their ability to comprehend Engineering more holistically than us. It was already late. But, I took the risk of sacrificing two years salary to pursue full time MTech through GATE at late age of 31. Financially it was a loss, but that two years in IIT changed me as a person. I didn't take any coaching for the same although coaching for GATE also exists.
View Yash Pratap’s graphic link

Yash Pratap • You

Web Dev, System Design, AI
(edited)
Anirwan Sengupta, PMP®, FIE Few difference I found among students and their capabilities after interacting with them and asking questions.

Tier 3 Engineering - They think using tools like Salesforce is engineering.

Tier 2 Engineering - They think Implementation is engineering as this is what mostly happens in the job

IIT Engineering - They know the "Why this solution is better than other using framework A B or C" but they have no idea why the domain exists in the first place.

MIT Engineering - They know Why this domain exists in the first place, what they don't know and whom to ask what questions.

Good courses are designed according to US and western context, when India develop courses according to Indian context then there will be many great Engineers in India.

It's all Politics whether anyone like it or not.

There are no internal capabilities issues when it comes to learning, I think China successfully transitioned beyond west.
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Anirwan Sengupta, PMP®, FIE • 1st

Infrastructure Leader | Systems Thinker | Program & Contract Management (OPRC/PPP) | Building Institutions in Emerging Markets
(edited)
Yash Pratap we also have to admit that we come from a nation that is having per capita income in the lower one third of the World. Our aspirations are also limited to where we come from. Me being from West Bengal (Economically Challenged) and Lower Middle Class, my ambitions were limited. OTOH, being from privileged section socially, with Magistrates / ICS/ KBE a few generations back pushed me to aspire high. Economic challenge was a real one that made the completion of BE a challenge in spite of the college fees being next to nothing those days. However, the main challenge was between me earning vs me studying. However, our relatives were kind enough that I could complete my Bachelor of Engineering. I remain grateful to them forever.
View Yash Pratap’s graphic link

Yash Pratap • You

Web Dev, System Design, AI
Anirwan Sengupta, PMP®, FIE yes, I wrote about the same issue few weeks back, our deprevation and privileges are different so our primary ambitions.

When we see from male perspective then Doctor > Nurse always but from female perspective the world looks bit different

Nurse in UK > Doctor in India as in India women need to face Patriarchy norms despite success which Nurse in UK don't and she can transition to management or better jobs and live far more fulfilling life which seems absurd from common logic but it's true.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/yashp2411_career-genz-migrate-activity-7373771450115297280-bPo_

Virginia Woolf, first modern feminist, wrote on this issue 100 years ago in her novel Orlando where she changed the gender of character over a period of centuries and the entire world looks different. However Indian feminist reduce feminism to a joke because their feminism is fueled by caste privilege and that's why it doesn't include Virginia Woolf Simone and neither Savitri and Jyotiba Phule or Dr Ambedkar.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/yashp2411_substack-cringe-covertlyabrpatriarchal-activity-7379390799962132480-gand

Sociology and Politics plays much bigger role in shaping our ambitions than we think
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Anirwan Sengupta, PMP®, FIE • 1st

Infrastructure Leader | Systems Thinker | Program & Contract Management (OPRC/PPP) | Building Institutions in Emerging Markets
(edited)
Yash Pratap gender is another paradigm. And perhaps that is the only class difference that nature has made. The other ones like Race, Religion, Region, Caste, Creed, Color, Nation... Are all man-made. On a lighter vein, I always get confused with the gender of inanimate objects in Hindi. Perhaps this is one reason for my strong detest for Hindi.
View Yash Pratap’s graphic link

Yash Pratap • You

Web Dev, System Design, AI
(edited)
Anirwan Sengupta, PMP®, FIE Gender differences were not significant when humans had no knowledge of productive agriculture. Gender differences became amplified after 1200 BC (post–Iron Age), and other differences—such as caste, color, creed, etc.—arose after that. When we talk about inequality of resources, there must be something considered a resource, and nothing was more productive than agricultural land. There was no rigid concept of marriage among people prior to that, you find it in the time of the Upanishads and Vedas. According to current times, it would be considered a “Western liberal doctrine”. That is why the current narrative of Hinduism revolves around the Manusmriti-based Gupta period (300 CE and later). It is very difficult for orthodox people to digest their own religion.
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Anirwan Sengupta, PMP®, FIE • 1st

Infrastructure Leader | Systems Thinker | Program & Contract Management (OPRC/PPP) | Building Institutions in Emerging Markets
Not from IIT/IIM/ISB etc is "Grapes are Sour" dressed up in a rebellious way. You can simply be proud for your own Almamater instead of being obsessed about IIT/IIM/ISB...
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Anirwan Sengupta, PMP®, FIE • 1st

Infrastructure Leader | Systems Thinker | Program & Contract Management (OPRC/PPP) | Building Institutions in Emerging Markets
Tanmoy Dasgupta isn't it like someone wearing a T-Shirt where it is written "I Love India"... If someone who is not from India wears a TShirt where it is written "I am not from India" - then it is a news.
We wear those T Shirts sometimes as it is nostalgic to wear. Also, there are occasions like Alumni meet etc when it is apt to wear. Isn't it. Nothing to flaunt about. Ofcourse, some may be flaunting it like Ranveer Singh in "Rocky & Rani"...."तार लो, तार लो, जितना मर्जी तार लो, बड़ी मेहनत से बनाई हैं यह बॉडी, 100% नेचुरल "
View Saswata Shankar De’s graphic link

Saswata Shankar De • 2nd

3x Builder | 0-10 Product, GTM, P&L Leader | Ex-SquadStack
Array array Sir! This is the problem people want to steer clear of, and they are not able to express it in words.

The world - i.e. real life - does everything WAYYY better than any IIT or IIM or ISB does.

It seems people who have attended these places have "forgotten" this basic truth?

As I have learned from my father (also an IIT KGPian who never pushed my brother and I to attend IIT), that life/nature teaches you everything 10x better.

E.g.
We learn humility in IIT -> We couldn't learn it from nature?
We learn intelligence comes in many shape/sizes/forms -> Our mothers/women navigating life under serious constraints couldn't teach it to us?

No Sir. You only learnt Chemical or Computer Engg in IIT. The pedagogy was great, sure! Still doesn't hold a candle to life itself (experiential/ exposure based).

This is why most people don't care about degrees nowadays. Whether it is IIT or MIT or Stanford.

Pedagogy is OK. But ultimately, andragogy rules (very long term, the only thing that matters is learning how to learn).

Unfortunately, very few seem to be able to deal with this.

P.S. it's my hunch that apart from knowledge in your field of work, you would be exactly the same person you are today - IIT or not. :)
View Vishal Anand’s graphic link

Vishal Anand • 2nd

Fluids and Solids Mechanics Researcher
Saswata Shankar De : That is the not the point of the post, we can learn anything anywhere indeed, if we have the zeal. The point is that highlighting that you are not from IIT or IIM amounts to ridiculing or mocking those institutions. It is as if saying that IIT and IIM students are somewhat dumb or inferior and the said person is too smart to even bother about going to these places. If you have to ridicule or mock others to feel good about yourself, it shows lack of confidence or too much confidence.
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Saswata Shankar De • 2nd

3x Builder | 0-10 Product, GTM, P&L Leader | Ex-SquadStack
(edited)
I would think that it's an assumption Sir.

You see here is the really strange thing. If IIT = NOT IIT in real life terms, then why write either at all?

There are only 2 things for me here -> world class pedagogy, and world class network.

World class pedagogy is becoming immaterial very fast (and in fact, brand IIT also has been massively diluted for various reasons).

Now, how many would agree that the greatest contribution that IIT/IIM made in their lives is a cushy job and better marriage prospects?

Unfortunately, that would mean letting go of the "moral" high ground of being shaped by an other worldly experience that apparently people can't have (say) by backpacking the world at 18 or climbing Everest at 22. Or just surviving life in a challenging environment like India.

Elitism works by that very principle right? I have / had something that you can't have?

My simple question is, is it true?

And the west has called BS on this a long long time back.

If you write the one, then write the other as well. Either way, many people, including Elon, Zuck, Gates (and I), don't really care, as long as you have demonstrated ability to learn. One of the ways, is definitely by going to IIT (and the other is by not ;)).
View Aashish Agrawal’s graphic link

Aashish Agrawal Author

Chief Business Officer | I build businesses and landmarks | ISB Hyderabad & IIT Kharagpur
Saswata Shankar De very nuanced i must say. And while i do not fully agree to your perspective, i see where you are coming from.

Everyone is free to write what one wants to write in his or her profile. But it would be very strange if all of us start writing where we have not studied or where we have not worked in a professional platform like linkein which works like a cv
View Saswata Shankar De’s graphic link

Saswata Shankar De • 2nd

3x Builder | 0-10 Product, GTM, P&L Leader | Ex-SquadStack
(edited)
Aashish Sir honest question - why did you feel the "need" to write about humility and intelligence and openness as regards to your IIT/ISB experience? Do you disagree that a curious 5/10 year old may (would) have all of these traits and not know the words for it? :)

This is what I'm pushing back against sir. It's very hard to cope with the fact that an IIT/ISB experience ONLY makes you a better corporate employee (engineer/manager) for the TIME BEING, and gives you a great network for LIFE. That's it.

What does it mean sir, when you say I am not better than you, but I'm shaped differently? Isn't that by definition life (and privilege)?

If that's not so, would love to hear what experiential learning you had in the IIT campus that is not inbuilt into the life of a curious 5-10 year old already - curiosity, humility, intelligence, exploration, et all.

"If I have seen further, it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants" - Newton (without having to go to an IIT/IIM).

As I said at the very start, many people write it simply because they feel the thing but don't have the words for it. Viz "Life has given me experiences an IIT/IIM education never could" and the implicit challenge to value it better than that degree.
View Saswata Shankar De’s graphic link

Saswata Shankar De • 2nd

3x Builder | 0-10 Product, GTM, P&L Leader | Ex-SquadStack
(edited)
"Not from IIT. Not from IIM. Not from ISB.

I often see this line written proudly in bios and Linkedin handles, as if not being from these institutes is a badge of honour."

^ Fact. It is. Not being from these institutes and still being where you are (comparable or kicking ass), proves that your learning ability is better than the Average Joe who went to IIT (and thus had the privilege of pedagogy and the privilege of affording tuition - also pedagogy - to get to that pedagogy). Busts the myth that there's anything at work here apart from pedagogy.

"As if mocking them somehow makes you superior."

Assumption. From people trying hard to cope? Did they write a post mocking IIT or did you write a post mocking their inferior shaping by life experiences?

As I said, what did you mean by humility/intelligence and being shaped differently without being better? :P

Ab toh samajh jao sir. :)
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Udit Jain • 2nd

Polycab | Ex-Dentsu | McKinsey Forward Alumni | Ex- Times Group | Podcaster | Vlogger | National Bronze Medalist - Table tennis | 3M+ Impressions
(edited)
Saswata Shankar De But an ISB tag is earned by cracking one of the toughest exams (GMAT)... I don't think it should be termed as privilege. Its not like an average joe can get into these institutes with Quotas.

Don't you think that someone at a top B-school like ISB reflects their superior preparation, dedication, and effort to reach there. Such achievements are a testament to hard work, not privilege.

While non-ISB graduates may or may not excel in the long run, the main point is that institutes like ISB and exams like the GMAT are designed to assess a candidate's work ethic and dedication. If someone like Aashish Agrawal has succeeded, it highlights his exceptional determination. (Taking him as an example to state a point). He sacrificed his time and effort and resulted in cracking one of the most prestigious B school - Indian School of Business. It should not be called as privileged, Its hard work. So, kudos to him!
View Saswata Shankar De’s graphic link

Saswata Shankar De • 2nd

3x Builder | 0-10 Product, GTM, P&L Leader | Ex-SquadStack
Udit sir, if a man and a woman succeed "equally", that is, based on all measurable criteria of success they remain equal/comparable, then who is better (smarter, more talented, more disciplined, however you want put it)?

This IS the problem.

If I'm as good as you are, and your pedagogy is better than mine, then my andragogy is better than yours. Simple fact. And andragogy WILL win, because you can be self taught at age 80 also, but can't attend IIT, unfortunately.

It used to be easy before - I went to IIT, so I'm a better engineer. This was true (better pedagogy in an age of true information asymmetry).

Now, that assumption has been destroyed (proven false in some cases where pedagogy hurts andragogy). So you need to tout nostalgia and other stuff. Have you heard of Nassim Taleb or read his books?

I have been privileged to see truly truly smart (i.e. high IQ people, who have consistently ranked in top 0.1% in standardized tests) in my home, and let me tell you this, they did not learn humility because they went to any institution. It has been drilled into me since I was 5 (or younger). What is truly valuable, life will teach you. The only question is can YOU learn without the crutch of the institution supporting you?
View Saswata Shankar De’s graphic link

Saswata Shankar De • 2nd

3x Builder | 0-10 Product, GTM, P&L Leader | Ex-SquadStack
Vishal Anand if you can truly learn anything from anywhere and have the zeal for it, you would be dumb to go to IIT (or any institution). Fact.

You would also be smarter than most, if not all, IITians. Also fact.

You see, you cannot even debate this today, given the intense research and proof points against institutionalized learning and the way it destroys our minds.

You can, of course, walk into an IIT and choose to stay there. You can equally as well walk out of it and it would make no meaningful difference to your life.

Hard to cope with it may be. But there it is.
View Vishal Anand’s graphic link

Vishal Anand • 2nd

Fluids and Solids Mechanics Researcher
Saswata Shankar De
Can you cite any reference to support your outlandish comment that “institutionalized education destroys minds” ?

If you were to jog your memory  just a little, you will realize all the great technological breakthroughs of last century were product of institutionalized learning and research. Project Manhattan, which developed the nuclear bomb, was served by scientists like Oppenheimer (who attended Cambridge) and Lawrence (who was from Berkeley) among others. The microprocessor was, in part, developed by Ray Holt, who attended the California State University. The world wide web was invented by Tim Berners Lee, a professor at MIT and also at Oxford. Prof Geoff Hinton, one of the godfathers of AI, whose research of several decades contributed to AI phenomena, is a professor at University of Toronto.
All the above statements are facts and you can verify them from independent sources and references
But can you cite any reference saying that institutionalized education destroys minds.
Otherwise, I will say that your statement is only an anecdote, based on your personal experience, and not a “fact”.
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Saswata Shankar De • 2nd

3x Builder | 0-10 Product, GTM, P&L Leader | Ex-SquadStack
(edited)
I have made 2 points though: for folks who are auto didacts, like the ones you have mentioned above, institutionalized learning is "optional".

For the regular person, it may do more harm than good as well. And definitely does the harm of cultivating ego while believing it to be humility. I would share the research, but let me share a book instead, which has all the research - The Case Against Education by Bryan Caplan.

Here's a discussion between Taleb and Caplan by the way - pretty insightful -> https://medium.com/conversations-with-tyler/bryan-caplan-nassim-taleb-tyler-cowen-higher-education-college-fc4b845fe30e

And here (finally), is Oppenheimer in his own words. TLDR; he hated his time at Cambridge. Its also in the movie, btw. Didn't you watch it?
Comment image, no alternative text available
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Pooja Rungta • 1st

Admissions Consultant | MBA, Masters & Undergraduate Programs | Turning Profiles Into Admits | Ex-Accenture Strategy & Deloitte Consulting | ISB PGP Co’24 | Career Mentorship
Beautifully put.
 Institutions can shape us, but they don’t define us.
 What truly defines us is how much we continue to learn after we leave those gates.
View Simran Koul’s open to work graphic link

Simran Koul • 2nd

EPGP-IIM Kozhikode | Certified Scrum Master | Agile Project Management
I think the point some of those people want to highlight is that they made it big in life (according to their point of reference) despite not having been able to make it into IIM/ISB/IIT.

Rest are kidding themselves. :)
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Gopal Krishna • 2nd

Researcher, Entrepreneur, Life Skill Coach and Poet
Simran Koul - I think we should be proud of people who did not let their failures in some exam confine their ambitions and bounced back. If they are announcing it in their bio, it is good only for them and others. Achievers deserve the right to show whatever they want to show including making big without a degree from IIT/IIM. We should celebrate them. The more we admire and encourage others' bounce back abilities, the more we develop an inspiring world for everyone.
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Simran Koul • 2nd

EPGP-IIM Kozhikode | Certified Scrum Master | Agile Project Management
Gopal Krishna Absolutely, as someone who comes from a very normal background - I would always respect someone making it big via unconventional paths, or not so big names of the educational brands/industries. However, this comment was with respect to the people I've come across on LinkedIn/ in real life. There's this perspective thrown across - that once someone who graduates from top-tier colleges, they get everything on a platter, which I don't agree with. They have worked hard for that platter, and they deserve the ease of access in terms of opportunities. :)
View Hari Sundararajan’s graphic link

Hari Sundararajan • 2nd

...
Says ....

> Honestly, I don’t mind it.

and then goes on to make a whole post about it ...

👍
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Hari Sundararajan • 2nd

...
My sarcasm was primarily because I was surprised someone actually from IIT/ISB let themselves be affected by such posts.

Then again, I also frequently see posts on my feed about start up founders and other hiring managers who make posts about how they explicitly do not hire from tier 1 colleges and seek out people from "lower" tier colleges because, in their opinion, their company culture meshes better with non-tier-1 folks.

It's a strange world we live in.
View Tirtha Mukherjee’s graphic link

Tirtha Mukherjee • 2nd

📊 Power BI Developer | | 🌟 Data Enthusiast | | 🔄 Agile Practitioner | 💼 Ex-Infoscion | 📈 Google Data Analytics Certified
Hari Sundararajan really? It seemed strange to you? It really isn't. IITs and IIMs graduates have to touch grass. They aren't better. They don't know better they can't do better in most cases. But if you hire them they surely come with better egos and not better results. Thus the startups prefer people who have less egos because in terms of productivity or innovation or getting the work done - IITs or IIMs= any other low tier colleges. And every company knows this that's why outside India the value of IIT IIM graduates are like any other low tier colleges.
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Hari Sundararajan • 2nd

...
Tirtha Mukherjee Yes, the fact that sometimes, the environment you are exposed to does shape you, that in a lot of ways they might actually be better, and that your comment on their egos is more a reflection of your own envy. I hope you are, some day, capable of seeing just how childish your comments are you actually grow up.
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Smruti Ranjan Nayak • 2nd

At Urban Company | Act Fibernet, Cars24 & Greenpeace alumni
Many people proudly write “Not from IIT/IIM/ISB” not to mock anyone, but to remind others that talent, ideas, and determination exist everywhere — even outside big institutes.

Education shapes you, yes — but so do failures, struggles, and real-life experiences.
And those lessons don’t come with an institute tag.

In the end, it’s not where you studied, it’s what you’ve learned and how you use it that defines you.
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Niharikaa Kaur Sodhi • 2nd

I help you write in a way that attracts opportunities + builds your brand | 16,000+ customers in 180+ countries 🌎
It’s because the society has made these institutions as a badge of honor. And thousands of youngsters every year are forced to be a part of them and fit into society’s definition of success even if it isn’t their own.
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Rahul Mandal • 2nd

Strategy and Transformation | Group AMANA | IIMA
(edited)
Frankly sometimes they are not mocking these places - they’re asserting self-worth in a system that’s structurally tilted toward pedigree. You are failing to understand- Our professional culture still equates competence with logos - the “IIT/IIM/ISB” tag becomes shorthand for credibility.
That’s why others emphasise not having it: to prove that impact doesn’t need a stamp.
Their defiance is a rebellion against lazy credentialism. You don’t mock IIT/IIM/ISB by saying you’re not from them. You mock the system that made them the only valid measure of excellence. Thats about it.
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Tushar Rokade • 2nd

Building Hisvitals.com | IPO-ed Deltic EV | IIM L | IIT I
I read a very interesting concept in one of the Jain philosophical books titled "Aparigraha" (non-attachment/possessiveness): If a person says, "I used to be wealthy, have a lot of property, had a great family, but now I have given up all that for spirituality", then that person is at a worse place than someone who doesn't practice non-attachment, because they are still attached to what they still think they once possessed!
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Rajeev G. • 2nd

Head of Department, Business Management Dept of Technical Education
If you are not from the reputed places, many a time you will not be heard at all in spite of one's comparable abilities. That's frustrating. This stereotyping will push these non elites down. That's how the world operates. To brand them as a non elite is a way to get noticed.
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Divyansh Vatsa • 2nd

EV Expansion at Zomato ||Project Management and Execution||Not an IITian or Founder or Building Stealth
Well, I've written the same in my bio. Not because i'm mocking someone, but often i receive DMs from lot of people who start the introduction like "Hey, i'm from IITX batch 20XX. I'm working at XXX and done XXX. Do you have any relevent opening for me at your firm".
Any my only response is, "Why write IIT before actully explaning our qualities."Your college defines your hardwork in past, specially during school days but what's more crucial is how you've shaped yourself after college. What are your accomplishments and above all, what skills do you possess.

And Hats off to recrutires who post a job saying "Tier 1 preferred" as if they're hiring with the same mindset. Skills gayi bhard me, degree se kaam karvyange\.
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Aashish Agrawal Author

Chief Business Officer | I build businesses and landmarks | ISB Hyderabad & IIT Kharagpur
Divyansh Vatsa more power to you and thanks for commenting without being negative about. I dont have anything against any other college or their alums but only respect. But look at it this way, someone who has toiled very hard to get into iit ( or bit or any other college for that matter) , i do not see anything wrong if they start introducing their credentials with where they have studied
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Prasad Panandikar • 2nd

Concrete & structural Engineer
Being from IIT you are definitely good, at least in theory.

But that doesn't mean others are not as good. I have seen equally good and some even better. They were by individual merit not based on the system.
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Ankita Ghosh • 2nd

Senior Data Scientist - eBay l Ex-Adobe, Synchrony, Mu Sigma | NIT Durgapur | Talks about Data Science and Analytics | YT channel - The Data Couple | Writes to 10k+
(edited)
Wow..Thanks for writing this.I believe that not being able to crack IIT/IIM or anything similar stays with you for a longer time , because the preparations take a toll on you.I guess, despite not belonging from any of those institutions if you are happy in life then great and please share positive vibes that not getting into IIT is not end of the world but continuously sharing that students from IIT/IIM is not as good as they claim to be, just feels like 'grapes are sour' kind of a move
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Tirtha Mukherjee • 2nd

📊 Power BI Developer | | 🌟 Data Enthusiast | | 🔄 Agile Practitioner | 💼 Ex-Infoscion | 📈 Google Data Analytics Certified
What has people from IITs or IIMs contributed to our society except from elitism? Nothing. Even the institutes are nothing in terms of global positions. It's a clear signal that IITs and IIMs only manufacture elite robots whose entire contribution to society is a better job and marriage prospects in India. Outside this country the value of IIT or IIMs is the same as the value of any other tier 1 university. But sure, boomers like you will continue with the elitism until you're extinct. And extinct you will be - sooner than y'all realise.
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Tirtha Mukherjee • 2nd

📊 Power BI Developer | | 🌟 Data Enthusiast | | 🔄 Agile Practitioner | 💼 Ex-Infoscion | 📈 Google Data Analytics Certified
Aashish Agrawal and how's that faring for the people? What technology did that IITian make? Do you not know the business model of such companies? Are they making lives easier? Nope. They're just good at exploitation of labour by taking advantage of the cheap labour and non-existent labour laws of the country. Thanks for proving my point exactly. 😌
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Tirtha Mukherjee • 2nd

📊 Power BI Developer | | 🌟 Data Enthusiast | | 🔄 Agile Practitioner | 💼 Ex-Infoscion | 📈 Google Data Analytics Certified
Aashish Agrawal ah yes! The credibility of Bharat Ratna and Padma bibhusan in a nation where another receiver of the similar honours - Sonam wangchuk (whose contribution to the country is much more than a wage exploiter) is in jail for protesting. 😂 The entire world is aware of the truth about India. These propaganda posts hold zero value except for acting as an echo chamber of our 'greatness'.
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Ali Muzaffar • 2nd

AI Governance, Risk and Compliance @Meta | Ex-Deloitte | IEEE Mentor and Speaker
(edited)
It’s an identity crisis in the digital age, a confusion between presence and purpose, and a loss of our inner value compass.

Many of us try to find something that makes our identity shine, a marker of uniqueness. But I agree with you, Aashish, saying “Not from IIT” feels more defensive than defining. If I were a recruiter or a reader, it would actually leave a negative impression.

That said, I do feel that occasionally reminding oneself or sharing “Not from IIT” in the right context, can be a positive source of motivation. For example, when speaking to students who couldn’t make it into such institutions and feel disheartened, it can be empowering to show that success isn’t limited to a particular label or college.

But using it as a continuous digital identity or brand tagline feels like overkill. True originality and strength of character come from those who take pride in their own journeys. As you rightly said, it’s about “what defines you.”
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Shahana Roy Chowdhury • 3rd+

Senior L&D Manager : Pan-India for E2E Supply Chain (L&F)
Have never come across this written personally. However , i understand where it stems from - not everyone makes it to these institutes for various reasons , be it lack of financial backing , percentile , anxiety in appearing for competitive exams , awareness, lack of self-confidence in sitting for competitive etc.
These institutes hold their own merit , however it also doesn't mean that those who didnt make it here are good-for-nothing or at best eligible for lower executive class jobs only.
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Anusha Sajjan Gandla • 2nd

Engagement Manager at HCLTech | Chief of Staff | IIM Kozhikode’24
(edited)
Honestly, I think it comes from a place of insecurity. It’s more about masking inferiority by creating an illusion of being on par than expressing pride. Just my opinion, not undermining anyone!
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Ayush Singh • 2nd

#24 Global Risk & Resilience | Top 4% LinkedIn Globally | 15K+ on LinkedIn | Empowering Founders to Build Influence & Impact | Engineer | IIT Madras | GSV | R&D
As someone from IIT: Can confirm, we’re just people who are really good at overthinking problems and occasionally solving them 🤓

The real education was learning that intelligence comes in so many forms.
My batchmate, who could derive complex equations, couldn’t parallel park to save his life, while my neighbour, who never went to college, built a thriving business from scratch.

Smart is everywhere. Humility is the real superpower.
Aashish Agrawal
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Arijit Sanyal • 3rd+

Therapy for Men | Breaking the silence on Burnout, Anxiety & Emotional distress
I think the point is nuanced, that what you are highlighting is not a binary Aashish Agrawal. Both of the nuances can be true- that you do not need to belong to an IIT or IIM to be excellent in what you do, and yes, absolutely IITs and IIMs are institutions of excellence (at least some of them), and some very bright people get there and their lives are shaped by what they learn from there.
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Raymond Rozario • 2nd

Building communications for brands & leaders | Project Manager | Ex-Novo Nordisk
Arijit Sanyal you have a very important perspective. The flip side of 'not from xyz' also arises from the flashing (bragging) some others might do or job postings inviting IIT IIM XYZ exclusively.

I'm of the opinion that certainly prestigious institutions could provide different perspectives. BUT it's pretty backward for anyone to think that others do not produce equivalent skills. Especially where job listings love to show off "we are an equal opportunity employer". Super nuanced.
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Siddharth Mishra • 2nd

Senior Product Manager - AI/ML Products| Ex - Founder (World Bank Backed) ISB | GMAT 770 | NIT-R
I really don't understand that if I have worked my soul off to get to a place that has shaped me immensely, that has given me access to super bright people, who have in turn made me much brighter and sharper, led me to do great things in life that I am grateful for, why I can't use the tag and imbibe it strongly in my personality!
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Manushree Rao • 2nd

Public Speaker • Debater • Content Writer | Exploring Ideas in Digital Media & Biotech
I think its all because how most people have always looked down on tier 3 colleges and assumed that they would do nothing big in their lives, more then anything it makes them feel like they can prove to everyone that without any of these you can do all that you had dreamt of! But I do definitely believe that getting into an IIT or IIM can open so many doors without any knocking involved while others will have to knock each door hard enough for it to open.
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Somesh Ghosh • 2nd

Tired of rejections! Visit: resumesmashers.com | Ex-BNY (Bank of New York) | AIR 418 GATE DA (AI) | Specialist @cf | ML Paper @elsevier | Amazon MLSS | 2x hackathon winner | NIT JSR’26
They seem frustrated by the initial impression an IITian or IIM grad makes! Hence they use what's called "negative marketing" and it works too.
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Ojas Barve 🇮🇳 • 2nd

Edtech Business Leader | Dale Carnegie® Certified | Doctoral Scholar @ EIU Paris
Amazingly enough, all the comments in favour of the post are from IIT/IIM alums, and those against are from the rest. :) There’s no such thing as accepting a view point and moving on.
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Chitrakshi Bhutani • 2nd

Senior Research Manager at Neurosensum | Ex-PValue, GLIM-G, Bajaj
(edited)
I love to flaunt my Tier-3 school credentials without demeaning IIT/IIMs. And I am proud of myself. 😎
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Piyush Dhatrak • 2nd

Bosch HCG | Refrigeration R&D | SPCE’23 Gold Medalist 🏅| Ex Reliance | Mechanical Engineer
Love this perspective sir! Defining yourself by what you’re against often limits the narrative. Your take really highlights that these institutes aren’t about superiority they’re about exposure, learning, and humility. Being surrounded by diverse brilliance teaches you that growth comes from collaboration, not comparison. 👏 Well said!
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Dr. Jaydeep Khalpada • 2nd

Bridging Medicine and Technology for a Healthier Tomorrow | IIT Kharagpur | ISB Hyderabad | Medical Affairs | Medical Devices
I agree. Those who don’t make it to an IIT, think that IITians boast or show off. Little do they know that we ate at Chedis and Tikka (and not the fancy cafeteria of some of the private colleges), and the brightest minds would be dressed in 3 year old T-shirts and shorts at KGP.

We studied in non ac classrooms with wooden benches and no foam. And of course, anyone around can smarter, sharper or brighter. The humbleness we learn there cannot be learnt otherwise.
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Preeti . • 2nd

Strategizing Strategies For Brands With My Pen | CopyRighted CopyWriter | Freelance Content Writer | SEO | 320k+ Words Written | E-Book Writer | Creative Head | Make Writing Pretty With Me | 440k+ Quora Views | 🖊
I think there's another perspective. Sometimes, I've seen people adding it in their bio in order to show/encourage others that "you can achieve big things in life through skills, if, for any reason, you didn't get a teir 1 college."
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Krish Gupta • 2nd

Product & Strategic Consultant | IIT GANDHINAGAR Alumnus
And that how beautiful people are, in their own ways. The diversity at IIT helped me develop empathy and be open to different cultures, traditions, to keep an open mind before judging. I owe a lot to IIT than I can ever repay.
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Shantanu Joshi • 2nd

Experienced Technology Consultant ✰ Project Management Strategist ◆ Sports Fanatic ♕Looking to pivot into Management Consultancy & Project Management.
(edited)
Don't know what made my funny bone tickle , But since when actually making a mark and standing up tall to excellence being touted as making mockery ????

In the time when markets are overflowing with mediocre and so called "growth-hackers" , if people think putting up your life and hard work's achievement as "SHOW-OFF" , I genuinely feel we are up for total annihilation of quality & excellence because the IQ-EQ-MQ-FQ of a country dies the moment it starts restructuring the starting and finishing lines just so that everyone wins......

YOU WORKED FOR IT
YOU DESERVE IT
SHOW OFF OR BRAG
YOU HAVE EARNED IT SIR....
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Harmanjot Singh • 3rd+

Frontend Engineer Student @ Scrimba (React, JavaScript, Tailwind)
People don’t necessarily have anything against anyone — it’s just that many of us put “made it without going there, and you will too” on our profiles to make a point.
It’s not about mocking IITians. It’s about how, in India, we’ve built this perception that someone from IIT is automatically more capable or reliable than someone who didn’t make it in.
Even today, some companies still prefer hiring IIT graduates.
On the other hand, many IITians proudly market their ventures with tags like “Built by IITians” — which only reinforces the hierarchy we’ve created ourselves.
It’s a social structure that still lingers, even if unintentionally.
I just hope one day we move past these labels and focus more on building than on showing off whether someone is from IIT or not.
Life is much bigger than that.
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Aashish Agrawal Author

Chief Business Officer | I build businesses and landmarks | ISB Hyderabad & IIT Kharagpur
Harmanjot Singh Dhaliwal Appreciate your points however do not fully agree to it.

1. Every country and everything in the world has some criteria for selection. One might not agree with that criteria but it can not be wished away.

2. Brands are not new to the world. IIT is a brand because it has given results over sonmany decades. Its not just for the sake of it.

3. Everyone is free to put whatever in their bios and profiles- its just that its strange we are more keen on showing where we did not go or work than being proud of showing where we went and worked
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Pawan Tiwari • 3rd+

Senior RPA & Power Platform Specialist | 12+ yrs in Automation & AI | Expert in Power Automate, Copilot Studio, Blue Prism & .NET | Driving Digital Efficiency through Intelligent Solutions
I don’t think it’s meant to mock IIT or IIM graduates at all. It’s more about expressing that success isn’t confined to those who studied at these prestigious institutions. Many who couldn’t make it to IITs or IIMs want to convey that with determination, hard work, and self-belief, they too can achieve great things. It’s a positive reminder that talent and success can emerge from anywhere.
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Debdeep Sur • 3rd+

S&P Global | Synergy Consulting | IIM Ranchi MBA '24 |Ex-HPL | Jadavpur University I
Some people try to offset their insecurities through downplaying some established institutions or personalities thinking it looks "cool" or something. In reality they are just validating these institutions or personalities as benchmarks everytime they try to say other wise and it's funny because it's all in their mind only , nothing else mattered or got affected due to this. Humility is the best reply for this.. Just an acceptance saying okay , drives them crazy.
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Raj Kumar • 2nd

Accenture
"Not because that defines me,"
It literally defines your Linkedin Profile. You didn't even say ISB, you had to show off the Hyd part too because ISB has multiple campus now.
If it doesn't define you then remove it from your bio.

"As if mocking them somehow makes you superior." Now I think of it, that's satire. When all IIT, IIMs folks identity is defined by their college writing this is cracking a joke about it.
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Shobhit Kaul • 2nd

Sr. Project Manager
The problem could be that people throw these institution names around like weightage in unnecessary situations as well.

For eg. I had to show house to another renting couple who would takeover from my 3 yr tenure. The guy "casually" dropped that he is some high percentage type guy from one of such institutes.

Totally unnecessary. I did not even register the names and wanted them to leave (perhaps wrongly perceiving them as snobs)

but like any tool, wrong place wrong time only gives pain and delays.

To those who use these tags as Heraldry.. I would say, grow up. We all know you must have achieved much by this time in life. Don't do the peocock dance to show it off.
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Narendra Jain • 2nd

Founder, Myra Gems | Building India’s Gemstone specialist Brand | 30,000+ Rings Sold | Designed for Belief, Crafted for Style
Aashish Agrawal I love how you’ve said this, it’s not about having a tag or rejecting it, it’s about what the journey teaches you and how it shapes your thinking.
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Abdul Azeez • 3rd+

Founder & CEO: Apex AGI Solutions (Global Outsourcing) & Apex Skill Academy (Tech Training) |Author | Ex-Amazon, BofA, JPMorgan, PayPal, UHG| Helping Businesses & Professionals Scale Successfully
AI is exposing people who only knew "frameworks and jargons." It's now democratizing access that was previously gatekept.
When people write "Not from IIT/IIM," it's not always mockery. Often it's saying "I built this without that launchpad" - which required a different kind of grit.
These institutions offered some value, but they also created artificial scarcity. Not everyone brilliant could access them due to economics, geography, or timing.
Them offering online courses now is desperation - talent was always everywhere. The credentials weren't.
AI levels that playing field. That's sad for people from these institutions - it was overdue from a long time.
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Michael Krishnan • 3rd+

Senior Electrical Engineering Manager | Expert in AC/DC Power Distribution Systems,Automation Control Panels |17 Yrs in Semiconductor NPI | Ex-Applied Materials | System Architecture | Mentor | Thought Leader
Aashish, your perspective is refreshing and thought-provoking. Emphasizing the value of continuous learning and the diverse paths to success truly resonates with many. It's a reminder that our experiences, rather than our formal titles, are what shape us. Thank you for sharing such an insightful reflection.
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Bhargavi Ramadugu • 2nd

Insuretech | Business & Strategy | ISB
(edited)
And then there are those who add institute names even for short certificate or training programs.

I believe there will always be people who reject the idea that educational pedigree defines potential, and those who conform to it. The truth is, most in these two categories are still seeking validation in different forms. (including myself...I mention ISB in my profile :))
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Prithviraj Srinivasan • 2nd

JAGSoM, Bengaluru (2024-2026) | Student Council President - JAGSoM & IFIM Institutions | CMA Finalist | BBA | Ex-Madras Pharma.
While being a part of a prestigious institution is a testament of hardwork, intelligence goes way beyond that.

Minds are shaped through openness to learn, making the best of where you are, and humility.
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Anand Samat • 2nd

Branding and Communications Manager at Havas India
Absolutely spot on, the world is full of people who can teach you something. It doesn’t matter which college you’re from; if you’re willing to learn and grow, there’s always something to gain from everyone you meet.
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Shouvik Debnath • 2nd

Just Ban everyone @ US H1-B ❌ Green Card ❌❌ Citi-X-enship
IITs, IIMs, and other renowned private institutions are institutions of eminence in the true sense. No institution can match their standards in India. Mocking these institutions are mocking at yourself.
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Sheel J. • 2nd

I help kids master future skills — fun for them, stress-free for parents | Ex-Amazon | Product Leader
Loved ur last line.. “It makes you aware that the world is full of people who can teach you something”.
Being surrounded by amazing peers.. sure does humble one down. and pushes the ceiling to learn & grow lot higher.
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Juhi Gahlot Sarkar • 2nd

Associate Professor of Marketing
Not from IIT/ISB is a deconstructivist approach to self branding...a paradigm shift aimed at moving away from snob value that is associated with IIT/ISB brands. As an analogy, feminist theory developed as a deconstructivist approach towards the then prevalent masculine frame of reference. I understand your thoughts, I am just outlining the thought of the other side.
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Juhi Gahlot Sarkar • 2nd

Associate Professor of Marketing
Aashish Agrawal true. However much of branding/positioning is 'referential'. To say branding is referential means that the meaning of a brand is constructed through difference, it derives identity with respect to an “other” (category leader, cultural norm, or opposing ideology). This aligns with structuralist and semiotic thinking: meaning is relational. For example, Brands like Patagonia or Allbirds position themselves as anti-fast fashion. Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods: “tastes just like beef, but better for the planet", the reference to meat-eating anchors their identity; they’re meaningful because they challenge the norm. Pepsi defined itself through Coke (traditional, nostalgic), positioning itself as youthful, rebellious, anti-tradition. Apple’s identity (think different) rests on being not-Microsoft: creative, emotional, design-oriented. We all are familiar with 'minimalist' as a brand, positioned against everything that qualifies as 'excess'. That's how 'non IIT/ISB' positioning is.
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Udit Kumar • 2nd

SCALE Your Business | Made 5.3 Cr+ sales last month | Digital Marketing | I am the guy you should hire for #branding and #marketing
People should compete and mostly from themselves. People should learn and mostly from others.
May or may not be, they have achieved something in their life instead of being from an IIT/IIM which was tough to achieve and may be that's why they write this in their profile as an achievement.

Even though, celebration is meant to be small not defining the whole profile all the time.

Achieve a milestone and move to next.
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Tanmoy Dasgupta • 2nd

Staff Engineer at Warner Bros. Discovery • Distributed Systems & Big Data • GenAI, Agentic AI, NLP • BITSian • Lifelong Learner
Aashish Agrawal Absolutely true. I don’t think people are against IITs or IIMs per se, but rather against the perception that having an IIT/IIM tag makes someone superior or the ultimate.
I’ve been closely associated with many IIT folks—some of them are genuinely brilliant, but most are pretty ordinary. The whole point is that it’s not about IIT or IIM or any other tag; it’s about continuous improvement that makes a person better.
And yes, most of them (over 90%) are not humble at all.
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Samyat Sahu • 3rd+

Senior RF Layout Engineer at Qualcomm | MTECH TELECOMMUNICATION ENGINEERING | NIT DURGAPUR | 2022 GOLD MEDALIST
This is all true..a better environment will always create a better self..it also allows us to know there are many people who are sharper and smarter than us..and we need to learn a lot to upgrade ourselves...
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Sumit Mukherjee • 3rd+

Technology Product Owner - Data & AI | Data Engineering Manager | AI Engineer | Machine Learning | Data Scientist | Data Architect | Principal Data Engineer | Data Specialist
Well, if someone doesn’t take honour of coming from IITK, they have got something wrong… Pity on peeps who have those anti tags pinned up on their chest.. reminds me of - “angoor khatte hain” story !!
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Ayman Mateen • 2nd

Dubai | Business Development @ Al Hadiya | 1x Founder
The people mentioning that it may be because they want to show others that they've made it and you don't necessarily have to be an alumni of these top institutions to achieve what they have, is outright absurd.

Might as well add "Not from Stanford/MIT/Cambridge" while you're at it 😂
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Raghul Gandhi • 2nd

IIM Ranchi 💫 MBA 24-26 | PPO | Sr. Executive Member - Conundrum | TAS 2024 Semifinalist | Marketing | Strategy | Operations
I couldn't agree more with the humbling part. It just true for me every single day. Everything you do, The institution finds a way to remind you that you are not alone in this world.
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Nabeel Ahmad • 2nd

Placement Coordinator | Scored 99.97%ile in CAT VARC Section | 99.38%ile CAT | DSE MBA DU 27 | BA English DU 24
(edited)
I mean it does not come from a place of feeling proud of not belonging to these institutions but rather from the dismay of what it means to be from any college deemed unworthy by companies. It's a subtle waking of consciousness that even though we are not from these institutions we are not going to hide from it, let us confront it head on. People who care about skills will see beyond the tags and give us a chance to showcase our talents whereas it acts like a filter for those who only consider tags as a marker of competence.
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Neel Bhende • 2nd

Data, Analytics & AI | Banking & Financial Services
Aashish. Completely agree. Demonstrate basic common sense, Surround yourself with intelligent people and leave the outcomes to almighty 😄
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Mohammed Faizan Lateef • 2nd

Analytics and Strategy @ NPS Prism(Bain & Co) |PMP | Data Driven Insights, Management Consulting, and Program Management | MBA @ IIM Udaipur’22 (Top 5 % Merit List) | ex-SDE @ Accenture Tech | SQL | Tableau | PowerBI
Could be something around playing with LinkedIn search algorithm! While not having a degree from IIT or IIM, writing these in the bios would still show them up on search keywords related to IITs or IIMs
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Kriti Doneria • 2nd

7.5 years of Applied AI across CPG,Supply chain,BFSI and retail. Views are personal.
Its ironic these people are still banking on keyword search and seo optimisation that LinkedIn uses. I find people who add University of Oxford or Harvard Business School to their profiles after taking a two hour course. Alumni status is a thing,whether you like it or not
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Dr.Malay Patel • 2nd

Specialist in Sustainability, Business Ethics & Innovation, with interdisciplinary expertise across Management, Humanities, and Oriental Studies.
Identity built on opposition is still a reaction, not a foundation. The focus should be on growth, not comparison. Unnecessary comparison sometimes kills genuine growth of people from all walks of life.
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Prerna T. • 2nd

| EX- (Arcesium, BNP Paribas, JPMC, Statestreet) | Strategic | Results-Driven | Client-Centric | Empowering
I’ve seen this too whether it’s “from IIT/IIM/I
ISB” or “Ex-FAANG,” people wear both pride and defiance as badges.
Truth is, entry gates differ, but curiosity and persistence are the real alumni network.
I have the highest regards and met the best mentors/ humans from none of these.
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